The Sinners Need of Christ: Man was originally endowed with noble powers and a well-balanced mind. He was perfect in his being,and in harmony with God. His thoughts were pure,his aims holy.But through disobedience,his powers were perverted,and selfishness took the place of love.His nature became so weakened through transgression that it was impossible for him, in his own strength,to resist the power of evil. He was made captive by Satan,and would have remained so forever had not God specially interposed.It was the tempters purpose to thwart the devine plan in mans creation, and fill the earth with woe and desolation.And he would point to all this evil as the result of Gods work in creating man.In his sinless state,man held joyful communion with Him “in whom are hid all treasures of and knowledge.”Colossians 2:3.But after his sin,he could no longer find joy in holliness, and he sought to hide from the presence of God. Such is still the condition of the unrenewed heart.It is not in harmony wth God, and finds no joy in communion with Him.The sinner could not be happy in Gods presence;he would shrink from the companionship of holy beings.Could he be permitted to enter heaven, it would have no joy for him.The spirit of unselfish love that reigns there-----every heart responding to the heart of Infinite love----would touch no answering chord in his soul.His thoughts ,his interests,his motives, would be alien to those that actuate the sinless dwellers there.He would be a discordant note in the melody of heaven.Heaven would be to him a place of torture;he would long to be hidden from Him who is its light,and center of its joy. It is no arbitrary decree on the part of God that excludes the wicked from heaven;they are shut out by their own unfitness for its companionship.The glory of God would be to them a consuming fire.they would welcome destruction,that they might be hidden from the face of Him who died to redeem them.(To be continued)
Posted on: Sat, 27 Dec 2014 13:46:27 +0000